The Chromebook Craze: The Buzz Explained

The gadget market is having its golden age. Who can follow all of the new advantages, the fresh models and all of the innovation? The past few years, the biggest buzz in the tech gadget world has been surrounding Chromebook computers. Google’s global domination has been taking new turns constantly and it was only a question of time when they would try to take over the OS market as well. If Chromebooks are anything to judge by, their masterplan seems to be working perfectly. Let’s delve into the whats, whys and the hows and see whether the hype is deserved.

What’s so special about Chromebooks?

Traditional PCs burdened with software and, perhaps even more – our smartphones and tablets – have shaped our vision of what a computer is supposed to be. Google has come up with a shockingly brazen concept that seemed like it shouldn’t work at all. They stripped the computer down completely, turning it basically into a pretty, shiny box for your browser. At least, that’s how they conceived it initially. In time, it has been modified to suit user’s offline needs as well. The truth is, Google has unique resources which add to the draw. Who of their rivals could offer their users offline G Suite? The simplicity of use has been its main draw, and Google definitely knows it. In fact, they are wisely using it for promotion purposes by positioning Chromebooks as one of the staples of their Google for Education program.

How do Chromebooks fare against rivals?

Chromebooks run on Linux, which, together with their simplicity, helps lower the cost significantly. A lot of ordinary users are getting tired of standard, complex operating systems like Windows and Mac. In fact, nowadays, it is a customary practice for users, especially businesses, to seek out managed IT services. But for ordinary end users, Chromebooks bring something new to the table: the ability to just open your computer and use it with no need for complicated maintenance. Kids can use it, and so can your grandma who knows nothing about tech. On top of it all, they tend to run on the cheaper side and their battery life is out of this world (most tend to last at least nine hours). Of course, power users, especially developers, still mostly choose to buy traditional, more powerful machines, whether they run on Windows, Mac, or one of the numerous Linux distributions.

What are the drawbacks?

The most glaring drawback is that you won’t be able to run some of the programs that you might normally be used to. You can say goodbye to Microsoft Office, and Adobe’s programs. Of course, Google has provided worthy equivalents, but some folks don’t appreciate change and have a hard time switching from software they know inside and out. However, you might be comforted to know that Google has decided to merge its worlds by allowing Chromebooks access to Android apps. Bear in mind though, that, because Chromebooks are designed mostly as Internet vehicles, some of these apps are not available for offline use. Devoted gamers will probably pass too: the only games you can play on these machines are the ones available from the Chrome Web Store.

Whether Chromebooks will eventually manage to run their rivals out of business remains to be seen. However, even right now, in the early days of this relatively new kind of laptop, one thing is crystal clear. With its ease of use, fair price point and the allure of the Google brand, it has already found its place under the sun and is not going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

This guest post was written by Dan Radak is a marketing professional with eleven years of experience. He is currently working with a number of companies in the field of digital marketing, closely collaborating with a couple of e-commerce companies. He is also a coauthor on several technology websites and regular contributor to Technivorz.